What is a Product Backlog?

A product backlog is a list of work that needs to be done for a product development team. It includes planned features, detailed requirements, bug fixes, infrastructural work, and research that needs to be completed.

PMs usually write user stories, which are written using the template “As a <who>, I want to <what>, so that <why>.” For example, “As a user, I want to search for groceries on the app, so that I can prepare the food.”

User stories can be grouped into epics, which are then grouped into initiatives, and finally into themes. This hierarchical organization helps to provide context and prioritize the work in the product backlog.

The tasks or stories in a product backlog often have cost estimates associated with them, typically in the form of story points. Story points are a relative measure of the effort required to complete a task, where 1 point is the easiest possible work and the cost increases exponentially from there. The cost estimates are typically set by engineers, not product managers. This allows the team to prioritize the work in the product backlog based on the estimated effort and other factors.

Here is an example of a product backlog:

In this example, the product backlog includes five items, each with an associated cost estimate in the form of story points. The items are prioritized based on their estimated effort and importance to the product. The product development team can use the product backlog to plan and execute their work, ensuring that they are always working on the most important and valuable tasks.

Drawbacks of Product Backlog

• The product backlog is not the same as a PRD ( Product Requirement Document ). While it provides information about the intended changes to a product, it is not a comprehensive description of the product.
• Product backlog items are necessary but not sufficient to fully understand the product. A complete understanding of the product comes from ongoing conversations and additional information that the team records.
• Unlike a PRD, the inclusion of an item in the product backlog does not guarantee that it will be delivered. Additionally, the product backlog is a dynamic document that evolves as the understanding of the product evolves, whereas a PRD is typically baselined and does not change after a certain point.
• The product backlog can become unwieldy and difficult to manage if it grows too large.

Overall, the key to avoiding these drawbacks is to regularly review and prioritize the product backlog and to ensure that it accurately reflects the current state of the product and the needs of the customer.

Thanks for reading! If you’ve got ideas to contribute to this conversation please comment. If you like what you read and want to see more, clap me some love! Follow me here, or connect with me on LinkedIn or Twitter.

Do check out exclusive Product Management resources 👇

• The Ultimate List of 100+ Product Management tools 🛠https://rohitverma.gumroad.com/l/PM-tools
• The Ultimate List of Product Management Frameworks ⚙️
  https://rohitverma.gumroad.com/l/PM-frameworks
• The most exhaustive OKRs notion template 📔https://rohitverma.gumroad.com/l/OKR-Template